【推荐1】Thinking about the future isn’t special skill. Actually, everyone does it all the time. We schedule future activities and appointments on our calendars. We make to-do lists, a promise to ourselves of how we will spend our future time and energy. We look up the weekend’s weather. We make predictions about the results of sporting events. We practice, study and train for upcoming events that matter to us. We daydream about events we’re eagerly looking forward to. We worry about others.

Most of this common future thinking is about the near future: the next few minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or maybe even the next few years of our lives. Little time is spent thinking about what our lives will be like or what actions we should prepare to take in the far future: ten years, twenty years, or even fifty years from now. This kind of far-future thinking is the domain of professional futurists.

Futurists are trained to imagine distant realities that seem impossible to others: technologies that don’t exist yet, great changes to laws, strange diseases most likely to infect us in the year 2031. Why indeed think about such distant futures? Are there psychological and social benefits to imagining the world, and our lives, decades in advance? And if so, what does it take to become good at imagining the far future?

These were the fascinating questions that we recently explored with other futurists. I was personally inspired by the discussions, and learned a lot about how futurists imagine the future of life. They specifically wanted to use their imaginations to make the world a better place. Another big benefit for me was that this way of thinking is a skill that can be taught. Society would benefit greatly if we all learned the valuable skills that enable us to think about what things would be like in the future.

A．The way futurists imagine the future of life is interesting.

B．Society will benefit a lot if we all train ourselves to think as a futurist.

C．It is impossible for us to think about future things as futurists.

D．The idea of using imagination to make the world a better place is ridiculous.

【推荐2】Have you ever run out of coffee or tea? Found no eggs in the fridge? No bread for the sandwich and the nearest shop is too far away? Well, all that can change in the future.

If all goes well, the intelligent future kitchen will soon help solve all your problems. In the future, all kitchen units will be connected to the Internet. The intelligent future kitchen will give wise advice on planning your menu for the day. Worried about your weight?-- It will tell you the right diet and what is good for your health. It will even keep in mind your likes and dislikes!

Designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this smart kitchen promises to pay attention to all your needs. The computer’s system will help keep an “eye” on the fridge. If the fridge is empty, the kitchen will automatically call and place an order at the local supermarket. So you don’t have to worry about it at all.

You get home late, and don’t know what to make from the collection of ingredients (原料) in your fridge. A while back you might have ordered a take-out but now, instead of worrying about eating a collection of this and that, you’re excited. You can pull out each vegetable, and pass each one in front of a web camera next to your fridge. A few moments later, a screen on your fridge would display a tasty recipe.

After dinner, you take your plates to a box next to the sink. You don't have to clean them, your machine does. It produces new plates every time you need to eat. Later in the evening, you phone your other half, who is on a business trip half-way around the world. As you drink your cup of hot coffee, it makes your other half’s cup change color on the other side of the world, another special way to keep in touch.

【推荐3】Participants in an online forum were asked whether space exploration was worthwhile. Here are some of the comments they posted:

Planet Girl 7.17 pm

Our world is damaged by war, hunger and poverty. Billions of people struggle just to survive from day to day. Meanwhile the US space agency has US $16 billion to play with every year. We must deal with the world’s urgent problems. Space exploration is a luxury we cannot afford.

Dragon 7.18 pm

That $16 billion spent on space is nothing compared to the $370 billion spent on the military.

JJ 7.20 pm

Exploring space is investing in the future. Everyone knows we’re running out of resources. There’s massive over-population too. The solar system has heaps of resources we can use for mining, and maybe we can explore other planets. If we don’t do it now, it might be too late.

Planet Girl 7.22 pm

We have to settle problems of over-population and resource consuming here on Earth, instead of chasing science fiction dreams. Otherwise we will just export our unsustainable lifestyle to another planet. We might consume the whole universe!!

JJ 7.23 pm

Space explorers rock! They know what they are in for, and they still do it anyway. That’s what I call courage! We humans have always struggled to expand our horizons. We want to know what else is out there. Who knows, maybe we’ll discover the solution to all our problems out there!

Switched-on 7.25 pm

Space exploration has had a huge effect on our lives. Want to talk to someone halfway around the world? Sure. Get the weather forecast? Coming right up. Check exactly where you are? Absolutely. It’s all possible, thanks to satellite technology, global positioning systems, and the rest. If there was no space exploration, we’d be sitting around in the dark, not talking online!

Penny 7.50 pm

Satellites are launched by private companies — for profit. Planet Earth doesn’t always benefit. Exploring remote planets certainly does not contribute to life on Earth.

【推荐1】Earlier this year, artist   Malik was about to post a   selfie (自拍照）from the Brooklyn Bridge when he had the second thought. He wanted to share something different with his friends and the world.

Malik thought that the social media (媒体）had become impersonal and he wanted to connect with people in a more meaningful way. Therefore, the Reading Project was born. He began leaving piles of his books in famous New York City locations with a card containing simple instructions put inside each one: take a book, read it and share your thoughts with the artist by email.

The piles of books themselves can be seen as works of art, and so is the process (过程）of sharing. Unlike many of the things we share today, he likes to keep the project off social media. To keep the project pure (纯的），he doesn’t even turn around as he walks away once he has left a pile of books. When he has left them behind, he prefers email to be the only way that he learns what happens to them. The project has now taken him — and his books — all over the world, including London.

“I hope people pick them up and I also hope they read them and let me know their feelings on them. And even if they don't let me know, I just hope they will read the books，” Malik said.

He has received thousands of messages from people in more than 30 countries all over the world. For Malik, kooks are meaningless and lifeless if they gather dust(灰尘）on a shelf and are never read again. He intends to carry on with the project for some time，with a plan to visit Brazil and then decides whether he will continue it or not.

Most of all, lie loves the connection the books give him with strangers across the world， which is something that oilier posts could never achieve,

【推荐2】From my kitchen windows, I watch colorful birds responding for black-oiled sunflower seeds, split peanuts, and cut grapes and apples on the ground. The scene is delightful and calming.

About three years ago, I noticed a newcomer to this colorful and happy display. It was a baby chipmunk（花栗鼠）, obviously on its own. Over that summer, I watched it grow. The brown and black stripes（条状）on its back darkened. The next summer, it was back, and I wondered whether it would trust me to feed it by hand or let me pet it. I decided to employ the tricks I used to persuade wild cats to come close for food: patience, a soft voice, slow moves and repetition. Before it would approach, I’d put down its favorite food--sunflower seeds, bend over and keep very still. I’d leave my open hand in place, unmoving, so the animal would know I wouldn’t seize it. I continued doing this for a few weeks. Finally, late in that second summer, it did show more trust. One day as I offered a seed on my fingertips, it approached and carefully took the seed into its mouth. It never bit my fingers. I was elated that we had made a breakthrough of trust. After about two months of this routine, I went further. With one finger, I petted its back once, but it didn’t move away. I then petted with two fingers. Again, it stayed put, eating seeds.

Today, the Chipmunk comes out of hiding when I call its name, and lets me pet its soft, silky body. Whenever I am doing this, I feel calmer. To my surprise, I also feel a sense of greater respect for nature and its creatures and the opportunity to observe, protect and save wildlife. Most of all, I’ve saved the wonderful memories gathered during these glorious summer months in my Long Island garden.

【推荐3】The world has always had to face water-based natural disasters, such as tsunami and hurricanes. In an interview, Water Management Monthly talks to Dan Smith, who works in ‘disaster mitigation’ for a government ministry.

‘Disaster mitigation means attempting to minimize the impact of natural disasters both before and after they happen. My department and work in two specific areas in order to try and do this: risk reduction and risk analysis. They are both equally crucial in disaster mitigation.’

‘Risk reduction means many things. It is not just referring to big engineering projects like dams. Often, small community projects can be the most effective means of risk reduction. The main way floods can be prevented is by the construction and maintenance of earth wall defences, or levees. These block the progress of rising water.

However, even the best levees can’t protect against the destructive power of a tsunami. In this case, early-warning systems are lifesavers. They can let people know as early as possible if there is likely to be flooding.’

‘Firstly, risk analysis concerns flood mapping, where we identify the parts of the country which are at most risk from flooding. Secondly, there is mitigation planning, which means helping local communities plan for when disaster strikes. Thirdly, we make sure that the country’s dams all work properly and are safe. Although many people criticize dams because of their environmental impact, there are many benefits to them too, such as hydroelectricity, irrigation, water storage, water sports and, of course, flood control. In terms of a cost-benefit analysis, we are definitely ahead.’

‘Definitely. We are constantly developing new flood-prevention solutions. An example of one such measure can be found in the UK, with the Thames Barrier. This is an enormous engineering project designed to prevent London from flooding.’

‘Flood prevention does not have to be expensive. Sandbags, for example, can be a highly effective way of stopping flood water.’

【推荐1】I’d done it before, and so I had no reason to believe that this time would be any different. I was sure that when I returned home from my mission trip. As always, I’d bring back nothing more than some mud on my boots. A hole or two in my jeans and, of course, a lot of great memories.

The summer before my high school graduation, I went to West Virginia with others as volunteers to repair the homes of those in need. Arriving at our destination, my group was assigned the task of rebuilding sections of a home that had been damaged by fire. No sooner had we parked on the home’s dirt driveway than we saw an excited little girl, no more than six years old, standing in the doorway of the family’s temporary home. Shoeless and wearing dirty clothes and the biggest smile I’d ever seen, she yelled, “Ma, Ma, they really came!” I didn’t know it then, but her name was Dakota, and four more days would pass before she’d say another word near me.

Behind Dakota was a woman in a wheelchair — her grandmother, we’d soon learn. I also discovered that my job that week would be to help change a fire-damaged dining room into a bedroom for this little girl. Over the following days, I noticed Dakota peeking at us every now and then as we worked. A few times, I tried talking with her, but she remained shy and distant, always flying around us like a tiny butterfly but keeping to herself.

By our fifth and final day, however, this was about to change. Before I went to work on her home on that last morning, I spoke for a moment or two with the grandmother. I was especially pleased when she told me how much Dakota loved her new room — so much. As we talked, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before — Dakota was hiding behind her grandmother.

Cautiously, she stepped into view, and I could see that just like her clothes, her face was still dirty. But no amount of soil could hide those bright blue eyes and the big smile. She was simply adorable. Slowly, she began walking toward me. It wasn’t until she was just inches away that I noticed the folded piece of paper in her tiny hand. Silently, she reached up and handed it to me. Once unfolded, I looked at the drawing she’d made with her broken crayons on the back of an old coloring book cover. It was of two girls — one much taller than the other — and they were holding hands. She told me it was supposed to be me and her, and on the bottom of the paper were three little words that instantly broke my heart. Now almost in tears, I couldn’t control myself anymore — I bent down and hugged her. She hugged me, too. And for the longest time, neither of us could let go.

I left for home early the next morning. I was returning with muddy boots and holes in my jeans. But because of Dakota, I brought back something else, too — a greater appreciation for all or the blessings of my life. I’ll never forget that barefoot little butterfly with the big smile and dirty face. I pray that she’ll never forget me either.

【推荐2】My wife and I were down at the beach and trying to find a place to park in one of the many, and somewhat expensive, public parking lots. We were trying to get down to the beach in time to watch the sunset—one of my all time favorite things to do. After several failed attempts, we finally found one spot in the last lot so we pulled into the only space available.

As we were about to pay the price of parking there, a woman came up to us and said she had just paid for two hours(all the time we needed) but she had just been called back home and asked if we would like to have her parking pass. She refused to take any money for it and insisted that we take it. We gladly accepted it and thanked her for her kindness.

It was truly a “paying it forward” experience that we have often done, but one that hasn’t been done to us that often. I smiled at her with such gratitude. It was more than the price of the parking pass. Accepting the kindness of others is part of this process. We felt that and blessed by that kindness.

We got down to the beach in time to watch the sun setting because of this woman’s kindness and we were so grateful. It was a wonderful experience and the sunset was such a wonderful sight！

【推荐3】Cruise(巡航)lines worldwide suspended sailings March 13 because of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Now companies such as Carnival and Disney are pushing out their return dates and canceling more trips, meaning passengers can receive full refunds for the price of their trips.

Those who want to take their chances and postpone — even though there’s no firm date when this pandemic will end — can choose to receive a credit for a future cruise. Just remember: If you choose a credit, you have given up your refund. Cruise companies want you to stick with them, and are offering extra perks(津贴) and credits to keep you on board.

Carnival Cruises

On Wednesday, Carnival Cruises announced it would suspend Alaska sailings through June 30 and scrap all San Francisco cruises for the rest of the year. Typical five-day cruises along the California coast called at Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico, before returning to the Bay Area.

The company also canceled cruises aboard Carnival Radiance (an upgrade of the Carnival Victory) through Nov. 1, and Carnival Legend, through Oct. 30. Carnival Legend typically sails from Seattle to Alaska in summer months.

Passengers whose trips have been canceled may opt for a refund or a future cruise credit.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line on Monday extended its suspension for sailings departing in April. Passengers who had tickets on any of its four ships through April 28 may receive a refund or a cruise credit for a trip within 15 months of their original departure date, according to the company’s website.

Disney also warned passengers about sailings aboard the Disney Wonder that are scheduled to resume April 29. The itinerary(行程) calls for a stop in Vancouver, Canada, but Canada has closed its ports at least through July 1.